Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-26
A PROMISE REDEEMED.

PART l.
"Franz, how about the Lyskamm to-mor.
towi The weather looks settled"
@The weather is good, Herr, but"
"But what, Franzlp
81 do not like the Lyskamm."
@And why don't you like the Lyskamm,
Franzgr
Herr, there is fearful cornice there this
year"
"Well take our chance of that. We can't
tell what it's like till we try, and if we find it
too bad we can always turn back When
must we startf"
ct will be time if we leave here at Or
''Goodl Then you'll call US up about /
Guten Abend, Franz
"Guten Abend, Herr; schlafen sic wohl
The above conversation took place one ex-
quisite August evening outside the old lliifei
hotel. Table dhotc was over, and the usual
assemblage of climbers, guides, and others
was there, watching the declining light of a
most glorious sunset fading slowly away from
the mighty precipices of the Matterhorn, and
from the other submits of that. to my mind,
the grandest range in all the Alps.
The season up to that time had not been a
good one, and but little climbing had been
done; but, with the prospect of fine weather,
of which that morning had given unmistak-
able promise, every one took heart, and the
number of expeditions that were at once
planned for the following day was something
astonishing
Every available guide was booked and
the courteous lady who at that time presided
over the Riffel was at her wits end to know
where to accommodate all who asked that
night for sleeping space. l myself was not
a novice at climbing, having already spent
several seasons in the Alps, and for some
years | had been a member of the Alpine
club. had been up most of the great peaks
around Zermatt, but l had not yet assembled
the Lyskamm IA $50 feet. and it was for the
purpose Of doing the Lyshamm that I bad
come up to the Riffel
! was accompanied by a fellow member of
the Alpine club named Burns, an admirable
climber and a charming companion, and
had my guide Franz, who had been with me
on most of my previous expeditions, and in
whose steadmeSs and skill had reason TO
have the greatest confidence Franz was a
man of 10 or so, tail and OF splendid physique,
with good honest weather-beatan counter
ance, to which long mustache gave q some
what military appearance
In intelligence be was greatly superior to
the ordinary run of guides, for he could talk
well upon other subjects besides the one topic
of mountains
Burns End /, being in some favor with the
authorities at the Riffel, were fortunate in
getting room to ourselves; but a score or
so of travellers, for whom no other space
could be found, had to repose as best they
could on the floor of the salon, and lucky
were they who could secure mattress, for
even mattresses gave out at last
We turned in early; but, as l can never
sleep on the eve of an expedition, l was not
sorry when Franz knock soon after O'Clock.
warned us that it was time to be up. This
getting up is, think, the most disagreeable
part of an expedition
have a particular objection to dressing IN
a bad light. feeling all the while only half
awake, and-but low be it spUken-more
than half disposed to envy those who are
not leaving their beds at such an unearthlv
hour.
dislike, too, the early breakest-a melan-
choly meal, to be got over as expeditioasly as
possible; and on this point every one seems TO
be agreed, for at the Riffel, at all events, ]
have observed that it is usually dispatched in
solemn silence. The very look of the sleepy
servant who brings III the coffee exercises a
depressing influence, US well it may
Then there is that getting into boots flor |
am not one of those inconsilerate indi yiduals
who put theirs on up stairs and come pound
ing down, to the detriment of sleep in those
who do not happen TO be getting up so earIv).
and boots. to begin with, feel hard, if not alb
solutely uncomfortable
But. after all. what are these minor iisa-
greeables beside the extraordinary amount of
pleasure that is to be got out of climbing!
They perhaps make 1t all the pleasanter, if
we did but know it.
We were rather earlier than the majority.
but there were two or three sleepy locking
individuals in the breakfast room, evidently
novices bound for Monte Rosa, giving one
the idea by their appearance that they were
already beginning to think climbing a mis-
take rather than otherwise.
II was close upon 2 oclock-the hour Franz
had named-when we got off. and we were
soon on our way towards the Goerner glacier.
The date was Aug Is. 49,.
Oui ~ tlttl iSttlfFti dt1ultlDIi III IIie
shape CT porter whom Franz had engaged
over night-a big, good natured looking fel-
low, and very useful man to have on q
rope. as we found subsequently.
The morning was splendid, and the stars
shone down upon Us from n cloudless sky. but
still Franz seemed dissatisfied and complained
more than once of its feeling close The at
mosphere was certainly heavy. bnt as we
neared the glacier there came towards us a
breath of cold air deliciOusly refreshing and
inspiriting
1t was still dark when we reached the ice
but before we had crossed the glacier the day
had commenced to break, and behind thf
giant mass of Monte Rosa and the Lyskamnl
there came over the heavens that pale, IN.
earthly hue which is seen at times when Snow
and sky intermingle. 1t was superlatively
fine morning, and, save for a few saffron col
ored clouds floating above the Weissthor, the
sky was perfectly clear.
We breakfasted rear the well known halt
ing place for parties making the ascent Oh
Monte Rosa, and soon afterwards we left that
mountain on our left TO keep on up the Gren2
Glacier towards the summit of the Lysjoch
1t seemed certain now that we should have
a fine day, but Franz was clearly i'll at ease
and grumbled constantly about the heat in
the night, saying that he feared that rse
should find the LysEamm arete in bad con
dition.
His spirits, though, recovered somewhat as
we got higher, and certainly the weather left
little to be desired, for food of golden sun
light spread over rock and snow, till even
the hollow of the glacier in which We stood
became bathed in the glorious light. Indeed.
we could not have chosen a more perfect day
for our expedition.
We made rapid progress, for we were what
is known as fast PARTY, and while it was
still early We reached the foot Of the terrible
arete which rises straight up from the glacier
till it eliminates in the summit Of the Lys-
kamm
To my mind this arete constitutes one of
the nastiest bits Of climbing in the Alps 1t
is not difficult, but it is long, and almost its
whole length dangerous. Its danger arises
from the eorniee, which in an immense mass
hangs over on to the Italian side of the noun.
tain The actual ridge Is so sharp and on